‘They’re doing what sometimes men won’t dare’: Vimal Sumbly on Indian Army, TVS’ All-Women Rally to Kargil

The Indian Army and TVS Motor Company, for the second successive year, has flagged off the All-Women Bike Rally to celebrate the Rajat Jayanti Mahotsav of Kargil Vijay Diwas (25 years since the 1999 Kargil war triumph). The rally was flagged off by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, retd. Brigadier B D Mishra.
Indian Army, TVS all-women ride: 12 challenging days!
This ride, spanning 12 days and covering over 2,000 km, features 25 riders from diverse backgrounds, including serving women of the armed forces, military spouses, and civilian enthusiasts, paying homage to the valiant sacrifices of the Indian Army during the Kargil War.The 25-women group will travel through the challenging terrains of Ladakh, including the world’s two highest motorable passes, Khardung La and Umling La, before culminating at the Kargil War Memorial.

This all-women rally intends to send not one but two messages across the nation. One, it is about women empowerment. Two, it is about the celebration of Kargil, the 25th-year celebration.
They’re doing something men won’t dare to do sometimes: Vimal Sumbly
We spoke to Vimal Sumbly, Head Business – Premium, TVS Motor Company, who spoke at length about this initiative and how the manufacturer sees it from its lenses. “As an Indian, we take great pride in the Indian Army and their relentless service for the nation. With a solid riding community of 5.5 million TVS Apache and TVS Ronin customers globally, we are certain that the motorcycles will do complete justice through the challenging terrains that this ride will tread on.”

Reflecting on the reasons for continuing this partnership, Sumbly added, “Any partnership which TVS generally gets into is a long term. And with the army, it’s a great honour and pride to be associated with such a significant event. This event celebrates 25 years of victory with 25 women riders. They will ride 2,000 kilometres over 12 days through the toughest terrains of Leh Ladakh. Some of the places you can’t even breathe and they are going to ride.”

Last year, the rally marked the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, with 25 riders riding from the National War Memorial in New Delhi to the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, Ladakh. However, the choice of bikes was then limited to just one, the Ronin cruiser motorcycle. This year, the Apache joins the fray.
The rally this year is tougher and more diverse than the previous one, which exclusively featured TVS Ronin bikes. Sumbly highlighted the changes as he said, “It is much more challenging this time. It has 25 riders, 2 different types of bikes. There is a naked sports bike, and then there is a super sports bike participating in this ride. Unlike last time, we have brought in some change into the way the riders ride this, thereby also showcasing the premium range of products from TVS. And also how women empowerment on various formats of bikes showcases how they really maneuver these tougher terrains.”
The message of this rally goes beyond the ride itself; it serves as a beacon of women’s empowerment in the Indian Army. As Sumbly pointed out, “These women will be riding in 12 days at various locations. They will be meeting many people, many villages on the way, and thereby show how they have been empowered in the Army to even do the ride in the toughest terrain. And I am sure this message will not only go to the regions where they are traveling but also via social media to the rest of India. They are doing the job which men don’t dare to do at times.”